In business, a product may be put on the market that has some defect, be it inherent or caused by use of the product. When this occurs, the product should be recalled, and removed from the stream of commerce. The present application is directed to improving that process by which recalls are complied with by the retailers selling the recalled product. Recalled products may include those found in the consumer and industrial areas, among others, and may be related, but not limited to, food, beverages, dry goods, pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter drugs, among others.
The following scenario is provided simply as an example, and is not intended to describe the foregoing concepts in a limiting manner.
Items or products presented for purchase by consumers may contain a defect, such as bacteria, foreign objects, or other defects that may cause harm to the persons consuming the item.
It is understood by the inventor that a recall may be undertaken voluntarily by the company manufacturing the product and/or the retailer selling the product, or it may be required by the authorities in the area responsible for enforcing the laws. For example, in the United States, such official recalls may be undertaken by state governments, city governments, as well as the federal government.
When the recall is undertaken by an arm of the government, the manufacturer or (an/or wholesaler) or the retailer commonly contacts the parties involved, and will then issue statements to the public warning them of the defective product. At the same time, the government, the manufacturer (and/or wholesaler) and/or retailer will attempt to contact the various establishments that are selling the product.
However, due to human error, it is also understood by the inventor that product may not be removed from the retailer. Therefore, the federal government has teams of individuals that will disperse throughout the geographic areas where the defective product has been identified, and attempt to check the retail establishments to ensure the product has been removed. However, again, due to manpower issues and human error, not all defective products may be removed. Also, it may take some time between the issuance of the recall, and when the “on the ground” inspections are undertaken. Still further, there are times when the “on the ground” inspection does not even take place, again, due to human error and/or lack of manpower.
This leads to a situation that can be highly detrimental, if not fatal, to consumers. For example, if a consumer enters a retail establishment which has not removed the recalled product due to error and/or oversight, the customer can buy the defective product, resulting in their sickness or possible death.
Further, the government's use of “on the ground” inspections is costly.
The present application is directed to increasing the safety of the recall process and the efficiency of the process.